A brake carrier serves, among other things, to attach the disk brake caliper—generally by bolting it on—to the fixed part of an axle assembly or to an axle flange. Such a brake carrier may be found in German Patent No. 695 14 482 T2, for example. The brake carrier described therein is plate-shaped and does not project beyond the brake disk, but it is not suitable for commercial vehicles because it is too unstable and fails to fulfill functions that are important for commercial vehicles.
Other known brake carriers are, for example, frame-shaped and grasp the brake disk. They serve to hold and guide brake pads on both sides. The brake pads are pressed axially against the brake disk by means of a mechanical tensioning system found in the brake caliper as well as via the brake caliper that is seated on slide pins. Peripheral braking forces are transferred onto the axle assembly via the brake carrier that is axially bolted onto the axle assembly.
Due to the heavy demands placed on them, such brake carriers are, especially when used in commercial vehicles, made of cast material and take up a substantial amount of space. In addition, the use of such a material increases their weight and therefore requires a substantial amount of effort to manufacture. The amount of effort needed to manufacture them is in particular very great because conventionally the entire surface of the side of the brake carrier that faces away from the brake disk lies up against and is bolted onto a corresponding axle assembly surface. These surfaces must be especially smooth, which necessitates a substantial amount of manufacturing effort. In addition, surfaces that are part of the radial and lateral guide and support areas for the brake pads must be particularly smooth, as must the collars against which each slide pin with its protective cap for the brake caliper is screwed. Furthermore, the amount of energy required for manufacturing is increased by the fact that conventional brake carriers are only set up either for brakes on the left side or for brakes on the right side of a vehicle, which means that different embodiments must be manufactured and stored.
When the entire surface of the brake carrier lies up against the axle assembly, a great deal of manufacturing effort is required because relatively large surface areas lie up against each other. If these surfaces are not completely smooth, cracks form between the parts that are to be flanged together. As a result, corrosion and rust damage occur and tension is placed on the brake that can cause the caliper to stick or become immobilized. Operational reliability is thereby jeopardized.